Old Wounds Heal Slow
by Inu-hanyou of Midnight
Summary: Kagome is an inu-hanyou with a harsh past. Her memories haunt her, and she is terrified of what will happen in the future. Can Inuyasha and her other friends help her heal, or will Kagome live in fear?
1. Chapter 1

"I'll kill you Naraku! No one touches Kagome!" Inuyasha raised the Tetsusaiga at the demon and prepared to strike. He was furious. Naraku had kidnapped Kagome and was going to pay the price.

"Don't be a fool. Why do you defend her? She who concealed her true identity this whole time. Allow me to show you her real form!" Naraku's voice was deadly as he raised his hand towards Kagome.

Inuyasha looked at the girl. She was terrified. Her usually calm eyes were wild with fear. What was Naraku talking about? What secret could Kagome have, and why did it scare her so much?

Suddenly Kagome was surrounded by a brilliant white light. It faded slowly, and Inuyasha whipped around to face Naraku. He was gone.

"What the help have you done to Kagome? Come back Naraku, so I can kill you!"

"Stop Inuyasha. He's gone, and I'm fine." It was Kagome. Inuyasha was relieved that she was safe, but something was wrong. Her scent was different. She smelled of demon?

He walked over to her, and she sat up from where she had fallen. Atop her head were two fuzzy black dog ears. Her eyes were no longer dark brown, but a light hazel with silver flecks. Her nails were sharp, resembling claws. As she opened her mouth to speak, he glimpsed a set of gleaming fangs.

"Please forgive me, Inuyasha. I'm sorry for deceiving you all." Kagome's words were whispered as she rose to her feet, and at speeds only one with demon blood could reach, raced away.

"Kagome, no!" Inuyasha yelled after her. He made as if to follow, but Sango held him by his arm before he could go.

"Don't Inuyasha. Did you see the look on her face? Kagome needs some time to herself. I'm sure she'll come back when she is ready." Sango's voice was low, and tinged with sadness and worry for her friend. The two had grown close, and it pained her to see Kagome so upset.

Inuyasha growled his response, "Fine, but if Kagome isn't back by morning, I'm going after her!"

"So Kagome, too, is a hanyou. Interesting." Miroku stared at the direction she had run off in.

"I hope Kagome is okay," Shippo sniffed tearfully.

That night Inuyasha couldn't sleep. His mind was filled with thoughts of Kagome. Why was she so distraught? Why did she run away? And how the hell was she a hanyou? It all seemed impossible, like a dream that he would wake up from at any moment to see a perfectly human Kagome.

He strode over to the edge of the clearing where to group slept, and looked into the woods beyond. He whispered, "I don't understand this, but please Kagome, come back to me."

«*»

The morning came, and Kagome had yet to return.

"That does it! I'm going now to find Kagome and bring her back! Then we can kill the damn bastard who made her run off in the first place!" Inuyasha yelled at his still half asleep companions before dashing into the forest.

He had been tracking her scent for hours, which was difficult enough now that she was part demon, when the trail led him to a small stream. Kagome sat on a large rock dangling her feet in the water. He took a step forward and her dog ears pricked up, swiveling towards the source of the sound.

"I know you're there, Inuyasha. Come, be seated and then we can talk." Kagome's voice sounded broken and cracked, as if she had been crying.

Inuyasha leaped up onto the rock beside her. "Damn straight we'll talk wench! Why did you run out on us, Kagome? Dammit, Kagome, I was worried about you!" He stopped, hardly believing what he had said, but it wasn't as if he could take it back now.

"Oh, Inuyasha!" Kagome flung herself into his arms crying. He was shocked. Kagome was crying, in his arms? Hesitantly, he returned the embrace, rubbing her back gently. "I'm so sorry! I was scared! How could you ever forgive a coward like me?"

"Kagome, what are you going on about? You aren't a coward." Inuyasha tried to comfort the sobbing woman, but he was still completely confused himself. "Now explain to me what is going on?"

Kagome's body shuddered. She twisted so that she was sitting in Inuyasha's lap, causing him to blush, but still wrapped in his arms.

"It was a long time ago, when I was still little. Harvest that year was bad, and there were many attacks on the village where Mother and I lived. The villagers said it was my fault. They claimed I was bad luck and a curse on them all. Then the demons made their final attack. They were after me. Their leader said I didn't deserve to live and that I disgraced to demons everywhere." Kagome's voice had been soft an wavering like she was about to cry, but at her next words it went hard and bitter.

"He said I was a filthy half breed that he was going to put down. My mother stepped in. She was a protector miko. She told me to run and save myself, but I couldn't leave her. I never saw her again. The youkai horde devoured her right in front of me."

Inuyasha was silent. Kagome didn't deserve that, no one did. Yet her story was familiar. It was much like his own story, and the story of every hanyou. They were not accepted by either the group of humans or of full youkai. They were outcasts, hated by all, sometimes even by themselves. Kagome wasn't done yet, and in the same bitter tone as before, she continued.

"I lost it. I wasn't strong like you, Inuyasha, and I lost control. The demon within me took over, and I slaughtered them all. No one was spared. Not even the villagers. Every man, woman, child, and demon was dead at my hands. It was a massacre, and it killed me just as much as I killed them. So I ran. I remembered an old legend told to me by my mother about the Bone Eater's well. I jumped through, disguising my true form with what little miko powers I had from my mother, and started a new life with a family that found and adopted me. The rest is already known to you."

Kagome by then had started crying again. Her tears dripped onto Inuyasha's haori, and she hugged him tighter.

"Kagome, where was your father during all of this? Who was he?" Inuyasha was curious as to why he had not protected his family.

"My father, I never met him. He left before I was born, leaving my mother to deal with me on her own. She didn't deserve that. She didn't deserve any of this , but most of all, she didn't deserve to have me. I brought her nothing but pain." Her voice was harsh when she spoke of her father.

Inuyasha was fuming. How could a father just abandon his woman and pup like that? At the same time, he felt sorry for Kagome. She was not the only one who grew up without parents.

"That's not true. Your mother loved you. She died protecting you. What was her name?"

"It was Kasumi."

They sat quietly for a while, recovering in each other's company. Kagome's tears gradually stopped flowing. She moved off of Inuyasha's lap to sit beside him.

Then the silence was broken by Inuyasha asking, "Do you plan on coming back, then? We need you."

Kagome sighed, "To be honest, I'm not sure that the others would welcome me back. I mean, look at me, look at my past, and what I've done."

"What are you talking about? I'm a hanyou too, ya know! We're basically the same, and-" Inuyasha's ranting was cut off by Kagome's sharp reply.

"No! Don't you ever say that, Inuyasha! Don't you dare compare us! There is nothing similar between you and me! I'm nothing but a mistake, a child unwanted by it's father! Look at these hands! These are the hands of a murderer! Me, I am a murderer! I am not like you!

«*»

First chapter up! Review, please, and I might just write more! Ja ne!


	2. Chapter 2

**I forgot to do this the last time I posted, but here it is:**  
**Disclaimer - I do not own Inuyasha or the characters in it.**

**Also, I did not get very many reviews for the last chapter, even though a bunch of people viewed it. Please take a moment to tell me what you think and to give me some advice.**

Kagome was fuming at Inuyasha. Then, she suddenly stopped. She sighed and got up to leave. But Inuyasha's hand flew up to grip her arm and prevent her departure.

"Where do you think you're going, wench?"

"I don't know! Let me go Inuyasha, you're better off without me!"

This elicited a growl from Inuyasha. His grip tightened, and his claws mad small indentations on Kagome's arm that would surely form bruises later.

"That ain't true, and you know it, wench. Miroku, Sango, Shippo, myself, we all need you. You're not a murderer, Kagome. What you did back then, that was only to protect yourself. If you hadn't acted as you did, either the villagers or the demons would have killed you."

Kagome bowed her head in defeat. Part of her wanted to believe what Inuyasha said, but other parts of her still remembered the limp, lifeless bodies and the stench of blood and smoke. Wait, that smell wasn't only in her memories!

Her head snapped up, her delicate nose sniffing the wind. "Inuyasha, do you smell that? It's smoke!"

He, too, sniffed the air, and looked towards the source. "It's coming from where the others were camped last night! Kagome, do you think they could be in trouble?"

Inuyasha saw that she was no longer by his side. Looking up, he saw her already dashing and leaping through the trees, tracking the acrid odor. He grinned fiendishly, and with one hand wrapped around the Tetsusaiga, ran after her.

The demon duo burst into the clearing to a frightening scene. Miroku was lying on the ground, unconscious, while Sango fought the demon. It was an ugly, serpentine creature that spat green flames. It sent a cloud of fire and smoke at the slayer, and she dropped to the ground coughing.

That was when Shippo flew out of his hiding place in the bushes to try and help his brave female friend. But his fox magic was no match for the beast. Its large talons swiped downward, and the kitsune was thrown down to the earth at Kagome's feet.

"Shippo!" Kagome screamed in horror. She knelt down to examine the fox child. He had slashes on his chest and face that were bleeding heavily .

Inuyasha saw Kagome's shoulders shaking and assumed she was crying. He started to draw Tetsusaiga, ready to attack, but Kagome held up her arm, signaling for him to stop.

"Take care of the others. The beast is mine!" Her voice had changed. It was lower and more guttural, almost like she was growling.

"Kagome, what's going on?' Inuyasha was concerned for the girl. She rarely had feelings of rage, but now she sounded downright murderous. She looked back at him, and his mouth dropped open. Kagome's eyes were pitch black with purple irises. Streaks of a darker purple ran down her face and tapered off at her jawline.

"Stay out of my way, Inuyasha. He hurt my kit." She growled once mere before launching herself at the serpent demon.

Inuyasha was frozen in place. Kagome had transformed. Would she lose control? Would she need to be stopped? She had called Shippo her kit. Maybe it was her grief that had initiated the change. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Miroku stirring in the grass, and, picking up Shippo, dashed over to the monk.

"Miroku, are you hurt?"

The monk groaned. He rolled onto his back and sat up slowly. He blinked his navy blue eyes before asking, "What happened?"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes before answering, "You got into a fight with a demon and fell unconscious. Sango and Shippo are still knocked out. Kagome is fighting."

"Sounds fun. Let's watch." Miroku turned to face the fight , leaning on his staff.

"How dare you! How dare you hurt Shippo! He is mine! I won't let you take him from me!" Kagome shouted at the beast. It lunged at her, and she punched it. It flew backwards, disoriented. Kagome drew two long daggers that were hidden in her sleeves and waited. The blades were a shiny black, and the hilts were wrapped in deep purple silk.

When the monster came at her, she sidestepped it and held out one of the blades. She sliced it down the side, effectively cutting it in half.

"Wow. Kagome's fighting is quite impressive. Don't you agree?" Miroku's quiet, calculating voice was tinged with shock and newfound respect.

Inuyasha didn't say anything. He was in a daze. Kagome's fighting was better than he had expected, by a lot. She had supposedly been in her human form for years, yet she had killed that demon like it was nothing. The said girl approached them, and Inuyasha came out of his state. She was still full demon, and he didn't know what she would do.

"Shippo," Kagome snarled at him, her voice still more animal that human. He handed over the fox kit and she took him carefully, all the while glaring suspiciously at Inuyasha and Miroku. She sunk to the ground and started to inspect Shippo's wounds. She started to tenderly lick the one on his face clean, and at last declared him, "Safe."

The two men watched as the streaks on Kagome's face faded away. Her eyes reverted to their hanyou color as well. She raised her head to give them a look of shock and dismay before she collapsed.


	3. Chapter 3

The group sat gathered around a fire later that night. Sango and Shippo had woken up sometime after the battle, but Shippo had fallen asleep again. Miroku had treated their wounds and they were feeling much better. Kagome, on the other hand, was unconscious. No matter what anyone did, she would not wake up. In the end, Inuyasha had to pick her up and carry her to their resting place.

They sat, waiting for Kagome to get up.

Finally Sango spoke, "Do you think she's alright? She has been asleep for so long now."

"I suspect that Lady Kagome is drained. If what Inuyasha tells us is true, and she has been stuck in her human form for years, then it is likely for her to be tired after such a big display of power. It may be some time before she regains her full strength," Miroku answered Sango's question in a confident tone.

His eyes though, were full of concern. The monk did not know if Kagome would truly be alright in the end. Physically, the girl looked fine, but emotionally, he wasn't so sure. It caused her so much pain when she had to see Inuyasha transformed. How would she react when she discovered her own transformation?

Inuyasha said nothing. He stood with his back against a tree. His mouth was set in a frown. A storm of feelings raged in his eyes. If you were to look into them you would see pain, anger, sympathy, and confusion.

His head snapped up as he heard Kagome's breathing quicken. She was awake!

"You're awake." Kagome nodded her head and sat up.

"What happened?" Kagome's voice was hoarse, like it hurt to talk.

Everyone was silent. None of them wanted to tell her the truth. They knew that she would learn eventually, but they didn't want her to get hurt.

She sniffed and looked down at her destroyed school uniform. It was soaked with the blood of the snake and Shippo. Her face darkened in realization.

"Oh, I see. I did it again. I lost my hold, and my inner demon took over. I'm sorry." She was dejected.

Sango moved to her friend's side and embraced her with one arm. "Kagome, it's fine. We understand. You can't always control your demon blood, so you can't blame yourself for what you do in that state." Despite the words of comfort, Kagome was unconvinced, and her face remained as downcast as ever.

Miroku, seeing that Sango was unsuccessful, tried to help. "From what I can see, and what Inuyasha has told us, you transform to protect those important to you. When your mother and Shippo were in danger, you changed. It's not necessarily a bad thing."

Kagome was unswayed, however, and opened her mouth to protest. "Yes, but we are in dangerous situations all the time. What if I change and I accidentally hurt one of you? I've done it before, killed innocent people because they were in my way."

Inuyasha's patience snapped. He started to yell at Kagome, "Shut up, baka wench! I'm tired of listening to your stupidity! _I'm a murderer! I killed innocent people! _No one you killed was innocent! They were going to kill you! So shut up and stop blaming yourself for everything!"

His outburst got Kagome to be quiet, but it also woke up Shippo, who had been sleeping beside the girl. The fox's bright green eyes were brimming with tears.

"Kagome, don't leave me again! I don't want you to leave me!" Kagome smiled at Shippo's pleas. She bent down to pick the kit up and hugged him. He wrapped his tiny arms as tight as he could around her.

"Don't worry Shippo, I won't leave you alone," Kagome murmured into his pointed ears. He grinned in relief.

"So what do we do now?" Sango asked the whole group, successfully changing the subject to something less depressing.

Inuyasha perked up and smirked at Kagome. "We go looking for more jewel shards of course!" He was considerably happier as a thought occurred to him. _ Now that Kagome has the strength of a half demon, we won't have to constantly stop for rest. She can't complain about it either!_

"No," was Kagome's flat reply. The silver haired hanyou opened his mouth to protest, but she cut him off. "I need to make a detour. It is important now that I am in this form. You can't stop me Inuyasha."

"Says who? You may be half demon but you're still no match for me, wench!"

Kagome raised on eyebrow, mischief written all over her face. In a sing-song voice she said, "Oh Inuyasha . . ." He gulped, anticipating the command. "SIT BOY!" He got a mouthful of dirt.

"Their relationship is as promising as ever, is it not Lady Sango?" Miroku commented sarcastically, all the while inching his hand towards the slayer's backside. It found its target.

Sango leaped up from beside the monk and slapped him. "HENTAI!"

Shippo shook his head from his place in Kagome's arms. "Some idiots never learn." Kirara mewed her agreement.

"I'm sorry, I have to go. I can't take you with me. It would be too much." A single tear fell from Kagome's eye as she snuck away and faded into the darkness.

As usual, Inuyasha was the first one up. This meant he was also the first to notice Kagome's absence. Her scent was faint. She must have left very quickly a while ago.

"Where did the damn wench run off to this time? Miroku, get the others up, Kagome is missing!" Inuyasha barked at the stirring monk.

This got him up very quickly, and he gently shook Shippo out of his slumber before moving to rouse Sango. His eyes glazed over at her sleeping form and his hand began moving closer to his favorite part of her body.

"Miroku, if your lecherous hand moves any closer, I will permanently remove it, along with any chances you ever had of having children," Sango threatened him through clenched teeth, already gripping her giant boomerang.

"Dearest Sango, how could you doubt my intentions? I was merely trying to wake you up." Miroku's face was the very picture of innocence as he hurriedly drew his cursed hand away.

They quickly packed up their few belongings, and with Sango, Miroku, and Shippo riding Kirara, followed after Kagome. Her trail went southeast, farther than they had ever been on their search for the jewel shards.

At around mid-day, they came to a ruined village. It wasn't attacked recently, though. Miroku and Sango could sense no demonic presence, and Inuyasha smelled no demons. He did, however, smell Kagome.

"She was here. She stayed for a while, not just passing through." A salty scent hit his nose. "She was crying. We must be getting close."

The search continued in silence, but Inuyasha was thinking hard. _Why had Kagome run off when she had promised not to leave again? What was so important about a long destroyed village that she had to stay a while? Had she been here before when she was younger?_ He shook his head in frustration. _None of this makes any sense._

The group came to a halt again at the mouth of a cave a few miles away from the village.

Sango spoke up, "So Inuyasha, is she here?"

"Yeah, she's here alright, but not for long. I'm going in to get her." The red clad male dashed into the dark entrance without a second thought.

The scent got stronger the farther he went in, proving that Kagome was indeed in the cave. There was light ahead of him. It was torchlight. Inuyasha was almost there.

He broke into the lit cavern to an unpleasant sight. The room was bright from several burning torches hanging on the walls. There were old blankets arranged into what could possibly be called a bed. Along one of the walls were stacked crates of different sizes. But this wasn't what disturbed him. It was Kagome sitting on the floor weeping that he found displeasing.

She stared up at him and whimpered. "Don't hurt me, please just go away. Leave me alone." Inuyasha was shocked. _Kagome is scared, of me? What is going on? _

The rest of the group came rushing into the room a second later, and Kagome shrunk away from them. Miroku noticed this peculiar action and approached Inuyasha. "What is wrong with Kagome?"

"I don't know, but she doesn't seem to recognize me. When I found her, she was terrified and convinced that I would hurt her." Inuyasha was completely dumbfounded. He did not understand what could have caused Kagome to act like this towards them.

Miroku frowned and thought for a moment. Then he had an idea. "Hey Sango, why don't you try approaching her. You know her better than us, so maybe she'll remember you."

Sango considered it. It was worth a try. She nodded to the others before stepping towards Kagome. This only caused the whimpering to increase, and the trembling half demon cowered farther away. It hadn't worked. She was just as afraid of Sango as she was the others.

"Kagome what's wrong? Don't you know who I am?" Sango tried to understand what had happened to her friend. To her surprise, Kagome answered the question.

"I know exactly who you are. You're a demon slayer. Probably hired by the villagers to kill me. I know they all want me dead. All of you are just here to do the job. That's the only thing there is even a chance of demons and humans working together over. I didn't even do anything, but that doesn't matter, does it? I'm a hanyou, something that doesn't belong, according to people like you!" During her speech, Kagome lost her fear. Her words gained a sharper edge. Her brilliant eyes were tainted with pain and malice. In a threatening voice she shouted, "Go, now! Leave me alone or I will kill all of you just as you feared!"

So that was it. Her companions understood now. Kagome must think they were from her old village that she lived in as a child. Why, they still didn't know.

Shippo was now crying hard. He had always considered Kagome his mother since his real parents died and they had met. It hurt him to see her in so much pain and to hear her threaten her own companions.

The fox's tears puzzled Kagome, and a look of confusion flashed across her face. It disappeared almost immediately, to be replaced by a determined scowl.

Inuyasha took a deep breath. "Miroku, take the others and get out of here. I'm going to try and get Kagome out of this state. It may get violent." It was only a whisper, but behind it was a sense of urgency and desperation that persuaded the monk to listen. He took Sango gently by her shoulder and guided her out of the cave. Kirara followed her partner with Shippo still on her head crying.

The two half-demons stayed there, staring each other down. Inuyasha took a step forward. Kagome mirrored it with a step back. As soon as she did it, she realized her mistake. With that one step, she had boxed herself into a corner with no possible escape. Her eyes widened in even more fear.

He saw this and did not advance further. The point was to return her to normal, not to scare her more.

_How am I supposed to do this? Getting closer only scares the shit out of her! I ain't all that good with words either, though, and I might just end up saying something even more upsetting! That's the only real option there is. But what am I supposed to say to her? Maybe I could tell her about her memories. I could talk about how she met each of us. Hopefully she won't try to kill me before I can finish . . . _

"Kagome, listen to me. I'm not going to hurt you, but you need to listen. The villagers are dead. Those people who were with me just now are your friends. We want to help you. The demon slayer, her name is Sango. When we first met her, she was overcome by grief for her family, who were all killed."

Kagome listened with curiosity. She seemed a little more relaxed and less likely to attack him, but there was still no recognition on her face.

"The monk is Miroku. He has a cursed hole in his hand that will one day devour him if her does not kill the one who placed the curse. When we first saw him, he tried to steal from us and grope you. He is a bit of a lecher, but still our friend."

A faint smirk played on Kagome's lips, but her gaze was as distant and mistrustful as ever. _Something has to work! I have to keep on trying!_

"The kitsune child is Shippo. He found us after he had been orphaned. We helped him to avenge his father. He thinks of you as his mother, and you love him as if he were your own child. Don't you remember anything?" Inuyasha needed for this to work. He was desperate, and couldn't think of any other way to jog her memory.

Kagome shook her head. "If those truly are my past experiences, then no, I can remember nothing. Something confuses me, though. Through out all of the events that you have described, we have been together. How did we meet? What are we to one another? Who are you?"

Inuyasha gulped. _Even when Kagome doesn't remember me, she still knows exactly how to ask me all the wrong questions._

"My name is Inuyasha. When we first met, I was under a sort of spell. A priestess sealed me to a tree for fifty years. You saved me from staying there forever. I never did understand why you freed me, and I kept trying to push you away and scare you off. You refused to give up on talking to me. We became travel companions. All my life, I had been hated and looked down upon. Most people wanted to kill me, others wanted to change me. You . . . Kagome, you liked me for who I was. You didn't call me a half-breed or think of me as one. You stayed by me even as you cried . . . and I'm glad you didn't leave me . . ." The last words were quiet. Had it worked?

Inuyasha looked up into Kagome's hazel and silver eyes. They were glistening with tears. His heart sank. He hated seeing her like this. "Kagome . . . Don't cry Kagome."

As if invisible strings holding her up had been cut, Kagome slumped to the floor. Inuyasha was beside her in an instant. He pulled her up into a sitting position. _Kagome, please don't be hurt. Did it work? Can you remember anything? What's wrong with you?_


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry I haven't updated in such a long time. Please forgive me! i had a difficult time writing this chapter, and i was really busy with other stuff. But know that I have not abandoned the story, and will be writing more. I may not get to post again for a while, because I am going to camp, but I will try to get computer access! Please enjoy this update, and as always, review! :-)**

Kagome raised her head as her eyelids fluttered open. She focused on the person holding her. The events of earlier came back in a rush and tears welled up in her eyes once more.

"Kagome, are you feeling . . . yourself?" Inuyasha's voice was uncertain. He didn't know what he would do if she didn't remember anything.

"Inuyasha, it was horrible! All the villagers, they were back! It happened all over again. They wanted to kill me, and mother was already gone! I didn't know this would happen. I only came to get some stuff!" Kagome was hysterical. She clung to his scarlet haori tightly.

Inuyasha, unsure of what to do after that outburst, just remained silent. When Kagome's waterfall of tears slowed to a trickle, he finally spoke.

"Well, you're fine now. Do you want me to go get the others, or are you going to start crying again?" Inuyasha recovered his tough attitude, a little embarrassed about being so soft around Kagome. She gave him a weak smile and nodded her consent.

She rose unsteadily from his arms, but quickly grabbed to cave wall for support. Inuyasha left, looking back once as if to make sure Kagome was okay.

When Inuyasha returned with Sango, Kirara, Shippo, and Miroku, Kagome was searching through one of the boxes stacked against the wall. She had changed out of her school uniform into an outfit similar to Inuyasha's.

She wore black hakama pants that were snug at her waist. A lilac lotus blossom was stitched into the fabric at the hip. Her top was much less baggy than Inuyasha's, and much more form-fitting. The majority of the haori was black, although both the collar and the stitches on the sleeves were lilac. The sleeves were slim, but still loose.

Finally she straitened up. "Ha! I found it!" Kagome sounded cheerful, and she held up two sheaths meant for knives. She seemed to not notice them, she was so absorbed in her findings.

"Kagome, what are those for?" Shippo asked loudly. This startled the girl, and she jumped up with a squeak. Turning around, she let out a huge breath.

"So you guys are back. Please don't surprise me like that Shippo. These are the sheaths for Yume and Akumu," Kagome paused to pick up two long knives from the lid of the box. "This is Yume. Death by this knife will be painless and gentle. In a dreamlike state, the victim's soul is carried to the afterlife, comforted by those waiting on the other side. This one is Akumu. Death by this knife is harsh. It forces you to relive your worst experiences as the ultimate nightmare until the last of your life force drains away. The sheaths contain the immense power in each one and protect it from being stolen." As she spoke, she slid the blades into their cases.

Shippo nodded his head. "So they're special weapons, like the Tetsusaiga is for Inuyasha."

Kagome smiled down at him, " Yes, that's right Shippo."

Miroku frowned. He seemed confused by something. "Kagome, those are demon blades, right. Do you still have your miko powers even though you are using your demon blood with those weapons?"

"I still have my priestess abilities. However, I cannot channel those powers through the knives. It would make the power unstable, and the two forces would fight with each other. If I use the two powers separately, then it won't be a problem." Miroku closed his eyes, seemingly content with that answer. Sango, however, had another question.

"Kagome, if you left here as a young child, how do you know all this stuff? Did someone from the future teach you?"

The female hanyou's face darkened at the question. She looked away. "No, Sango, nobody taught me. I learned on my own. It was hard, but I could trust no one with my identity. I know you didn't mean anything by it Sango, but could we please not talk about my past anymore? It is still unpleasant."

The tajiya nodded, her eyes full of regret. She wanted to help her friend, but didn't know how.

There was a long awkward silence. No one seemed to be able to find anything to say. Then Kagome cleared her throat and said, "We can rest here tonight. Tomorrow we should head to the next village to pick up supplies and see if they have any word on Naraku."

There were no complaints. Inuyasha had started to voice one, but was silenced by a deathly look from Kagome. They all settled down for sleep, not knowing that their plans for the next day would not work out as they expected.

The next morning passed fairly uneventfully, with the exception of one fight between Inuyasha and Shippo about who should have the most of the leftover food. When they reached the village that Kagome had mentioned last night, they knew something was wrong. The village was abnormally quiet and empty. With everyone on their guard and ready for trouble, they group moved further into the village.

As they neared the center, they heard a great noise. All the villagers were gathered around yelling and throwing what ever they could get their hands on.

"What are they doing?" Miroku shouted over the people's screaming.

"I don't know! Kagome, I smell your blood, what happened?" Inuyasha covered his sensitive ears and looked over to Kagome. She too, had her hands over her ears, but nothing else seemed to be wrong.

"I'm not bleeding! I'm gonna go see what the fuss is all about with the villagers!" With that, Kagome leaped onto the roof of one of the houses. What she saw from there put a look of fury on her face, close to what she had looked like when Shippo was attacked.

In an instant, Kagome was in the middle of the crowd. They all backed away, not sure what had happened. Inuyasha and the rest took advantage of that and pushed their way to the front. Kagome was crouched by a small child. The most shocking thing about him was that he had ears almost identical to Kagome's instead of human ears! He also had bruises all over his body, and was bleeding from several places.

He and Kagome had a quick whispered conversation that even I could not hear, and then she stood up. Kagome's bangs hung down in front of her eyes, hiding their rage.

"Why were you hurting this child?" Her voice was dangerously calm. Rising to her feet, with the boy clutching her pants behind, Kagome clenched her fists and repeated her question. "I said, why were you hurting this child?"

One on the braver villagers stepped forward. I snickered quietly. _That guy has no idea what he's doing. You don't mess with Kagome when she's angry, especially not if you're the one who pissed her off._

He did it anyway, and answered Kagome, "He deserves what he got and more."

A somewhat cruel smirk appeared on Kagome's face. "Is that so? What did he do to deserve it exactly?"

The man who spoke up before was starting to show signs of fear. "He's a half-breed! He doesn't belong here. We don't ask for trouble. But that is all that his kind bring with them! For all we know, he could kill us all in our sleep! What do you th-" He was cut off by a punch from Kagome to his stomach. She threw him backwards to land on his back.

"Shut your filthy mouth! It's people like you who deserve to get beaten. He is a child! He is no different from one of your children! Would you harm your child? If I ever hear of this happening again, I will personally remove the offender permanently. This child is not the hanyou that you should be afraid of. I am. I am the kind who doesn't let the innocent get hurt, and has a very strong idea about what makes a person innocent or not."

Kagome turned away from the man to face the child. She gestured for him to follow her, and started back towards her friends. The young boy tried to follow, but he let out a sharp cry of pain and stumbled. Her face softened, and Kagome bent to pick him up in her arms.

They left the village in silence. They walked into a nearby forest to find a place to stay for the night. It wasn't as if the villagers were going to offer them shelter.


End file.
